Rockin’ Italian-Style Meatloaf
Ingredients
Glaze
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup BBQ sauce I love Cattleman's Kansas City BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ Tbsp Creole mustard or other favorite mustard
Meatloaf
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh basil finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1½ lb ground beef in the 80-85% lean ballpark
- ½ lb italian sausage sweet, hot, or mild per preference
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded (fresh is best)
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 425℉
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside
Glaze
- Combine ketchup, BBQ sauce, mustard, and brown sugar in small saucepan
- Heat over low, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat when well heated (bubbly/boiling) and set aside.
Meatloaf
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat
- When hot, add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent and fragrant
- Add the tomato paste, chopped basil, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper
- Cook about a minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and set aside
- Combine panko and buttermilk and set aside for about 5 minutes
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and Italian sausage
- To the combined meat, add the cooled herb/tomato paste mixture, parmesan cheese, and panko/buttermilk mixture then gently work the entire mixture with your hands until well combined
- Shape the mixture into a free-form loaf on the prepared baking sheet.
- Reserve a small portion (⅓ a cup of 1x recipe) of the glaze and set it aside
- Brush (with the glaze in the sauce pan) onto the loaf to coat
- Put the loaf in preheated oven to bake for 50 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160℉
- While the meatloaf is cooking, generously brush it every 10 minutes with the glaze from the sauce pan (not the reserved glaze).
- When the meatloaf is done, allow it to stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with the reserved glaze, a green salad, and potatoes. Leftovers are amazing, especially between slices of hearty white bread or on a hoagie roll!
Freezer Instructions
- Prepare the meatloaf through shaping it but do not bake.
- Flash freeze: Place the shaped meatloaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for about 1-2 hours, or until firm.
- Wrap for storage: Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil or place in a freezer-safe bag/container.
- NOTE: Flash freezing prevents sticking, wrapping order ensures freshness.
- Freeze the sauce separately in a small airtight container or freezer bag.
- Label & store: Write the date on both the meatloaf and sauce, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Baking From Frozen (for best texture, follow these instructions)
- Thaw the meatloaf & sauce: Transfer both to the refrigerator 24 hours before baking to thaw. Keep the meatloaf wrapped while thawing.
- Prepare for baking: Unwrap the meatloaf and place it on a lined baking sheet or in a loaf pan.Let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking to take the chill off.
- Bake at 375°F: Time: 60-75 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Baste with the reserved sauce every 10-15 minutes for the last 30 minutes of baking.
- Final Check: Use a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches 160°F (it will rise to 165°F while resting).Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Baking Directly From Frozen (No Thawing)
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Unwrap and place frozen meatloaf on a lined baking sheet or in a loaf pan.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 90–100 minutes, basting with sauce in the last 30 minutes.
- Check internal temp—it must reach 160°F, then let rest before serving.
My family loved this!
I made this for Carlos and I and some friends for Valentine’s Day. It was a huge hit. I had a bit of a setback and was late getting it into the oven so I made individual meat loaves so they would cook faster. They were awesome! Thanks for this recipe, Fred! We loved it.
Dan I were two of the lucky ones that got to try this meatloaf made by Alane for Valentine’s Day. It was fantastic! The individual meat loaves she made were so cute and delicious! (Can mini meatloaves be cute?) Anyway, thanks for sharing the recipe! We all enjoyed it!